05 September 2024
The Hengqin Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province (“the authorities”) issued the “Regulations on Legal Aid for Hong Kong and Macao Residents in the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone (Interim)” (“the Regulation”) on 5 September 2024. The authorities proposed that Hong Kong and Macao residents working or living in the Cooperation Zone who do not have a legal representative due to financial difficulty or defendants in criminal cases who have not appointed a defence lawyer while the People's Court, people’s procuratorate, or public security department notify a legal aid agency to provide defence, the legal aid agency shall provide legal aid services to the defendants. The Regulations will be effective from 1 October 2024 and will be valid for 3 years.